Heating and heat recovery unit for an air conditioning system

ABSTRACT

A heating and heat recovery unit for an air conditioning system, which is assembled from compressors, several insulated water storage tanks, an air-cooled condenser, expansion valves, air-cooled evaporators and a water-cooled evaporator. The compressors are suitable for various types of air conditioning systems and refrigerant heat pump water heater systems. The installed water storage tanks are arranged according to size, from the largest at the top down to the smallest at the bottom. A high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant from the compressors is first input into the smallest tank, and after passing through to the largest tank, it is then passed on to the expansion valve and the evaporator. A configuration of cold water pipes is provided for input into the largest tank through to the smallest tank  50 , and output therefrom. Hence, the heat exchange flow process consists of heating of cold water after entering from a cold water inlet end, and heating the water before output at a hot water outlet end, moreover, each of the tanks can be independently heated to raise the temperature thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a heating and heat recovery air conditioning system, which is able to substantially increase the water outflow temperature, speed of heat exchange at the water outlet end and heat recovery efficiency, thereby retarding the speed at which the temperature of the system drops due to the low cold water temperature in winter.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

Conventional type water heaters that supply hot water use an evaporator to absorb ambient transmitted heat and change it into a gaseous refrigerant. After the gaseous refrigerant is compressed using a compressor, then it is converted into a high-temperature and high-pressure vapor, which is circulated in a condenser to heat water within the water heater.

The aforementioned water heaters are provided with a water tank of considerably large capacity, and after cold water is input into the water tank through a cold water inlet pipe at one end thereof, then a water heater heats up the water to form hot water, which is then sent out from a hot water outlet pipe. Heating of such a huge water tank is extremely slow; moreover, it is difficult to maintain the water temperature. During winter, a relatively long time is required before being able to supply hot water, which not only consumes electric power, moreover, the temperature that the hot water is maintained at is often insufficient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an improved heating and heat recovery unit for supplying hot water, which is primarily structured to comprise more than one different sized insulated water storage tanks internally installed in the unit of the present invention. Each of the tanks can be independently heated to raise the temperature thereof. The heat exchange flow process consists of heating of cold water after input at a cold water inlet end, and heating the water before output at a hot water outlet end, thereby substantially increasing the water outflow temperature, speed of heat exchange at the water outlet end and heat recovery efficiency. Hence, apart from saving electric power, moreover, enables retarding thereby retarding the speed at which the temperature of the system drops due to the low cold water temperature in winter.

To enable a further understanding of said objectives and the technological methods of the invention herein, a brief description of the drawings is provided below followed by a detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: Is a schematic block diagram and flow process of the system according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention is structured to comprise first and second compressors 10, 20, large, medium and small insulated water storage tanks 30, 40, 50, an air-cooled condenser 60, an expansion valve 70, air-cooled evaporators 80 and a water-cooled evaporator 90, wherein the first compressor 10 is suitable for various types of air conditioner heat recovery systems, and the second compressor 20 is suitable for refrigerant heat pump water heater systems. Working method of a refrigerant of the present system involves using a high-temperature and high-pressure end refrigerant of the first, second compressors 10, 20 to pass through bottom end heat exchangers (plate type, fin type, bare pipe) within the small, medium and large insulated water storage tanks 50, 40, 30 to effect heat exchange with water, and the heat is stored within the small, medium and large insulated water storage tanks 50, 40, 30. When the temperature reaches a set value, then surplus heat is dissipated through the air-cooled condenser 60, and then further passes through the expansion valve 70 to the air-cooled evaporator 80 of the heat recovery air conditioner, where evaporation takes place, and the refrigerant is returned to the first and second compressors 10, 20.

Fans 61, 81 are respectively located at the sides of the air-cooled condenser 60 and the air-cooled evaporators 80, and insulating layers of the water storage tanks 30, 40, 50 are made from high density PU (polyurethane). Two to three different sized tanks are internally installed with heat exchangers, and the tanks are arranged according to size, from the largest at the top down to the smallest at the bottom. The compressed high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant of the first, second compressors 10, 20 is first input into the small insulated water storage tank 50, and after passing through the medium insulated water storage tank 40 and the large insulated water storage tank 30, it is then passed on to the expansion valve 70 and the evaporator 80. A configuration of cold water pipes is provided for input into the large insulated water storage tank 30, linkage to the medium insulated water storage tank 40 and the small insulated water storage tank 50, and output therefrom.

In addition, the heat exchange flow process within the insulated water storage tanks 30, 40, 50 comprises: heating of cold water after entering the large insulated water storage tank 30 from a cold water inlet end 100, and heating the water before output at a hot water outlet end 200 connected to the small insulated water storage tank 50, thereby increasing the temperature within the small insulated water storage tank 50 and speed of heat exchange at the hot water outlet end 200. Furthermore, a temperature controller is fitted to the large insulated water storage tank 30 at the cold water inlet end 100 to facilitate controlling the evaporating temperature when the refrigerant is evaporating, and non return valves 31, 51 are installed between the neighboring insulated water storage tanks 30, 40 and 40, 50 respectively, thereby enabling successive, independent heating of separate tanks in order.

When the winter outdoor temperature falls, design of the hot water system is such that a heat recovery system is installed at a normal temperature and low pressure side after evaporation, and use of surplus heat of a high-pressure and high-temperature pipe placed in the water-cooled evaporator 90 enables evaporation of incompletely evaporated liquid refrigerant of a low pressure and low temperature pipe, and after being compressed by means of the second compressor 20, a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant vapor is formed, which can be used when the temperature is low in winter, thereby preventing the incompletely evaporated liquid refrigerant from flowing towards the second compressor 20.

Accordingly, the present invention is structured by installing more than one different sized insulated water storage tanks, internally configured with heat exchangers, in an air conditioning system. The heat exchange flow process consists of heating of cold water after entering from a cold water inlet end, and heating the water before output at a hot water outlet end, moreover, each of the tanks can be independently heated to raise the temperature thereof, thereby substantially increasing the water outflow temperature and retarding the speed at which the temperature of the system drops due to the low cold water temperature in winter.

It is of course to be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

1. A heating and heat recovery unit for an air conditioning system, comprising: at least one compressor; at least one insulated water storage tank for heating and heat retaining use, the insulated water storage tanks are internally configured with heat exchangers; a high-temperature and high-pressure end refrigerant compressed by the compressors passes through the heat exchangers to effect heat exchange with water, and the heat is stored within the insulated water storage tanks; an air-cooled condenser; after the temperature reaches a set value, then surplus heat is dissipated through the air-cooled condenser; at least one expansion valve connected to the air-cooled condenser; at least one air-cooled evaporator; heat dissipated from the air-cooled condenser passes through the expansion valve to the air-cooled evaporator, where evaporation takes place, and the refrigerant is returned to the compressors.
 2. The heating and heat recovery unit for an air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the compressor is suitable for air conditioner heat recovery systems.
 3. The heating and heat recovery unit for an air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the compressor is suitable for heat pump water heater systems.
 4. The heating and heat recovery unit for an air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein fans are respectively located at the sides of the air-cooled condenser and the air-cooled evaporators.
 5. The heating and heat recovery unit for an air conditioning system according to claim 1 wherein insulating layers of the water storage tanks are made from high density PU (polyurethane).
 6. The heating and heat recovery unit for an air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the insulated water storage tanks are different sized tanks.
 7. The heating and heat recovery unit for an air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein a temperature controller is fitted to the insulated water storage tank.
 8. The heating and heat recovery unit for an air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein non return valves are installed between the neighboring insulated water storage tanks.
 9. The heating and heat recovery unit for an air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein a water-cooled evaporator is located between the insulated water storage tanks and the air-cooled evaporator. 